From: Elena Thompson
To: Peter Weichers
Subject: RE: 9-16-26 Agenda Item 7. Written Public Comment Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026 8:21:30 AM
CAUTION: External Email. Do not click any links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender, verified their email address, and know the content is safe.
Hi Peter,
Please post for this week instead. Cancel this one, see clerk email for new send, thanks.
Regards, Elena
From: Peter Weichers <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2026 6:22 PM
To: elenathompson <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: 9-16-26 Agenda Item 7. Written Public Comment Has been posted online.
From: elenathompson <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2026 6:18 PM
To: Peter Weichers <[email protected]>
Subject: 9-16-26 Agenda Item 7. Written Public Comment
CAUTION: External Email. Do not click any links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender, verified their email address, and know the content is safe.
Date: 9/16/26 3:57 PM (GMT-08:00)
Hello Council, Encinitans,
I believe this video merits wide circulation and contemplation as we seek to work together as Encinitans to build a better Encinitas, San Diego County, State of California and United States of America. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-fS3awzcVY
This video exemplifies a well-known individual putting country before party, and common-sense before partisanship.
Thank you,
E Thompson
Encinitas
From: Andrew B
To: council
Cc: City Clerk; [email protected]; Marco San Antonio
Subject: Re: Please postpone decision on Lone Jack/Fortuna Ranch stop signs pending traffic analysis and resident outreach
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026 2:41:40 PM
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Mayor Ehlers and Member of the Encinitas City Council,
I wanted to follow up on my prior email (below) opposing the installation of stop signs at the intersection of Lone Jack and Fortuna Ranch Roads. I continue to discuss the matter with neighbors who are similarly opposed to the stop signs, and also similarly surprised/concerned/upset at how quickly the process seems to be moving to a potential City Council decision vote, without studies or data to substantiate the decision, and without input from the Encinitas residents who will be affected by it daily.
From my experience as a real estate developer, I am intimately aware of the traffic engineering related hoops we are required to jump through when our development has any effect on an existing intersection: sight distance studies, access studies, VMT studies, trip generation/traffic volume analyses, etc. This process is in place for good reason and the gathered data ensures the community/planning department is able to make the correct, well-informed decision with how an intersection should be modified, or left alone. In my experience, altering an intersection is never something taken lightly or quickly pushed through on a simple vote without appropriate studies to validate the decision being made.
For these reasons, the speed and perceived frivolity of this process is particularly surprising to us, as Olivenhain residents who will deal with the impacts daily. We do not know how or why stop signs at this intersection came to be an item on the MTSC agenda, but the proposed stop signs seem to have been recommended as a “yes” by the MTSC without the presentation or consideration of any specific studies, calculations, recent traffic volume, historical incident data, site visits, input from local residents, or other information that could help validate the need for a change to this intersection (much less, a solution as disruptive as an all-way stop). In my view and professional experience, altering an intersection with a new all-way stop is not a casual matter to be taken lightly or approved in a laissez-faire manner.
As Encinitas citizens, we are hopeful that our City Council will postpone voting on this matter until the appropriate studies, data collection, and direct outreach to hear the input of impacted residents have been completed. If there is no relevant data to substantiate the installation of stop signs, or if pursuing such studies is deemed a poor use of city resources, given that the intersection has not had a history of incidents, then we would respectfully request that the matter be voted as “no” by City Council or rescinded as a proposed item for the Council by the MTSC after reevaluation.
Thanks for your service on the council and thanks again for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Andrew Bertha
Lone Jack Road/Olivenhain resident
760-519-0566
[email protected]
On Tue, Sep 15, 2026 at 11:50 PM Andrew B <[email protected]> wrote:
Mayor Ehlers and Members of the Encinitas City Council, I am an affected Olivenhain resident writing regarding the proposed stop signs at the intersection of Lone Jack Road and Fortuna Ranch Road. I respectfully ask the City Council to postpone -- not approve or install -- the proposed stop signs until the City publicly provides the relevant technical analysis, evaluates feasible alternatives, and directly notifies affected residents and gives them a meaningful opportunity to review the relevant information and comment.
I support addressing legitimate safety issues. However, without a complete, quantitative public record supporting this proposal, I oppose installation of the stop signs as currently presented. A safety decision should be evidence-based and should not create unnecessary delay, vehicle queues, rear-end-crash risk, or other unintended safety impacts if a less disruptive measure can address an underlying concern, be it a sight-distance concern or otherwise.
I understand that traffic-control guidance cautions that all-way stop control can be less effective where traffic volumes differ substantially among the approaching roads. My understanding is also that conventional multi-way-stop criteria may not be met at this location. If so, it is especially important that the City publicly provide the engineering basis for a permanent all-way stop and demonstrate the specific safety benefit expected from such a measure.
At the Mobility & Traffic Safety Commission meeting, Commissioner Ron Medak reportedly raised questions about existing traffic volumes, expected vehicle delay and queuing, intersection collision history, sight-distance conditions, and whether nearby residents had been consulted before the recommendation advanced. Based on the information shared with residents, these important questions were not fully answered before the Commission voted to recommend the stop signs.
As a resident who lives at the end of Lone Jack Road, beyond the Fortuna Ranch Road intersection, I would be directly affected by the installation of these stop signs. It was alarming to me to only just learn of the stop sign proposal through a neighbor, after the MTSC vote had already occurred. It was particularly concerning that I had no prior knowledge or notice of the matter, given the potential daily impact on residents (such as myself) traveling to and from the neighborhoods beyond the intersection, particularly during work and school commute periods.
I have lived past this intersection for more than 20 years and, while I recognize that my experience is not a substitute for a formal safety analysis, I have never witnessed a collision or “close call” at the Fortuna Ranch Rd and Lone Jack Rd intersection that would suggest an all-way stop (or even a yield sign) was necessary.
Significant questions remain unanswered about existing traffic volumes, expected vehicle delay and queues, intersection collision history, sight-distance conditions, and whether nearby residents were consulted before the proposal advanced.
Before making a final decision, please direct staff to publicly provide:
Current and peak-period traffic volumes, turning movements, vehicle speeds, and projected delay and queue impacts for each approach.
Collision history for the intersection, including crash types, severity, and contributing circumstances.
The complete sight-distance analysis, applicable engineering standard, and precise condition staff believes creates a safety issue.
The multi-way-stop warrant analysis and a clear explanation of the engineering basis for recommending stop signs if the customary criteria are not met.
A comparison of feasible alternatives, including sight-line improvements, warning signs or markings, speed-management measures, intersection modifications, or a monitored temporary pilot.
Direct notice and a public opportunity for residents near Lone Jack Road and Fortuna Ranch Road to review the analysis and comment before any installation.
I am not asking the City to overlook a safety problem. Rather, I am asking the City to demonstrate, through publicly available data, that stop signs are the most effective and least disruptive solution and that their potential effects on delay, queues, driver behavior, rearend-crash risk, and neighborhood access have been fully evaluated.
Accordingly, I oppose the proposed stop signs as currently presented and respectfully urge the City Council to postpone any approval or installation unless and until the City completes and publicly releases the supporting analysis, evaluates less disruptive alternatives, and directly notifies affected Lone Jack Road residents and gives them a meaningful opportunity to comment.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Andrew Bertha
Lone Jack Road/Olivenhain resident
760-519-0566
[email protected]
From: Shelley Linde
To: City Clerk
Cc: Shelley Linde
Subject: City Agenda on Traffic Stop Signs in Olivenhain Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026 3:48:38 PM
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Good Afternoon,
I called this morning to comment on an upcoming item on the City Meeting Agenda and found out it is not on this month's agenda but my comment will be used when the item comes up in the following agenda.
Unfortunately, I cannot attend in person due to a complicated spine surgery.
I have lived in Country Rose off Fortuna Ranch and Lone Jack Road for about 18 years and I have never seen or heard of an accident at the intersection of Fortuna Ranch Road & Lone Jack Road.
Someone proposed a 4-way stop sign at that location which I believe, and so do other people in our community that this will accomplishes nothing. When turning left off Fortuna or right there is very little traffic that comes up this far toward Double LL Ranch. There is even less traffic coming down from Copper Crest. It is not difficult to see traffic turning left onto Lone Jack from Fortuna, very few cars and speeding isn't the issue. Turning right from Lone Jack to Fortuna already causes people to slow down to almost a stop just to make the turn because the lane is narrow. I think people that live up this way are very mindful when there drive due to the presence of horses in our community.
There are plenty of roads that do need attention, spending funds on stop signs in a rural community is a big waste.
Thank you,
Shelley Linde
Resident of Country Rose
From: Steven Gerken
To: Encinitas City Council; Peter Weichers
Subject: Why Are U.S. Traffic Deaths Increasing Again?
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026 4:47:34 PM
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Dear mayor and city council members,
Based of the recent deaths of too many pedestrians and cyclists in our city, it is apparent that residents are clamoring for increased traffic safety.
Here
are links to two articles, one discussing one citiy's success. It also discusses the politics of promoting street safety.
The NYTimes article just looks at data suggesting possible causes for increased fatalaties and injuries. Regretably, it does not directly
mention solutions.
FYI
Steve Gerken
https://www.governing.com/transportation/how-hoboken-has-gone-years-without-a-traffic-death Why Are U.S.
Traffic Deaths Increasing Again? https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/headway/motor-vehicles-fatalitiesnewsletter.html?unlocked_article_code=1.DVE.xxSz.NpcaBW3QHJbX&smid=nytcore-android-share Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail on Android